Hunter Valley Buses
{{Short description|Australian bus operator}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Use Australian English|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox Bus transit
|name = Hunter Valley Buses
|logo = Hunter_Valley_Buses_logo.jpg
|logo_size =
|image = Hunter Valley's 7333 MO.jpg
|image_size =
|image_caption = Hunter Valley Buses Volgren bodied Volvo B7RLE in November 2014
|company_slogan =
|parent = ComfortDelGro Australia
|founded = 1986 (as Blue Ribbon)
|headquarters =
|service_area = Central Coast
Hunter Region
|service_type = Bus and coach services
|alliance =
|routes =
|depots = Singleton
Thornton
Edgeworth
Morisset
Toronto
|hubs =
|operator =
|ceo =
|website = [http://cdcbus.com.au/huntervalley-buses cdcbus.com.au/huntervalley-buses]}}
Hunter Valley Buses is an Australian bus operator who operates bus, coach and charter services in the Central Coast and Hunter regions of New South Wales. Previously known as Blue Ribbon, it was one of the first companies to be bought by ComfortDelGro Cabcharge in 2005, now ComfortDelGro Australia.
History
The origins of Hunter Valley Buses can be traced back to 1926 when Amos Fogg founded the Fogg's Motor Service. The family business grew and held interests in many bus companies in the area. Amo's brother Sid Fogg later managed the family business before leaving the business to form Sid Fogg's in the 1950s.{{cite web|url=https://fleetlists.busaustralia.com/nsw.php?info=BRC|title=Blue Ribbon Coaches - Thornton fleetlist as at 2/00|website=Australian Bus Fleet Lists|access-date=6 March 2020|archive-date=28 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220328063340/https://fleetlists.busaustralia.com/nsw.php?info=BRC|url-status=live}}
The Foggs family business was later managed by Amos's daughter Mavis and her husband Stewart Mordue. The Fogg/Mordue family had shared interests with the Lewis family in Rover Motors and Hunter Valley Coaches. In 1986, after a 40-year partnership, the shared interests were terminated, with the Lewis family taking full ownership of Rover and the Mordue family taking full ownership of Hunter Valley Coaches, based in Maitland. At the same time, the Mordue family repurchased Linsley Brothers, Wallsend from Linsley Brothers, whom they had a partnership in the business with until the 1950s. The Mordue family then rebranded their Raymond Terrace routes, Hunter Valley Coaches and Linsley Brothers into Blue Ribbon Coaches.
In October 1989, Fellowes Bus Service in Swansea was purchased followed by Singleton Bus Service in March 1992.{{cite book|title=New South Wales Bus Operators and Fleet Listings|year=1993|publisher=Historic Commercial Vehicle Association|location=Sydney|pages=20, 115}}[http://fleetlists.busaustralia.com/nsw.php?info=BRC Blue Ribbon Coaches] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220328063340/https://fleetlists.busaustralia.com/nsw.php?info=BRC |date=28 March 2022 }} Australian Bus Fleet Lists
In December 1993, most of the coach operations were sold to Sid Fogg's in exchange for the latter's route services."Ownership changes" Fleetline March 1994 page 56 In 1999 the Maitland, Wallsend and Raymond Terrace depots were consolidated at a new site in Thornton. In February 2000 Blue Ribbon was sold to National Bus Company with 162 buses and coaches."Blue Ribbon Sells to National Express" Australian Bus Panorama issue 15/4 February 2000 page 29 In October 2005 Blue Ribbon was purchased by ComfortDelGro Cabcharge and rebranded as Hunter Valley Buses.
In August 2007, Morisset Bus Service, Sugar Valley Coachlines and Toronto Bus Service were purchased from Robert Hertogs and consolidated into the Hunter Valley Buses operation.[http://fleetlists.busaustralia.com/nsw.php?info=TOR Toronto Bus Service] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181206102413/http://fleetlists.busaustralia.com/nsw.php?info=TOR |date=6 December 2018 }} Australian Bus Fleet Lists Toronto Bus Service used to be controlled by the Foggs until it was sold to the Hertogs family in 1960.
On 1 August 2018, Coastal Liner, its Outer Sydney Metropolitan Bus Region 11 services and charter operations were acquired.{{cite web|url=https://www.comfortdelgro.com/documents/38822/69007/Media+Release-CDG+Deepens+Footprint+in+Aust+with+2+Acquisitions_grp.pdf/92bcc096-63ba-533b-f790-f8c1dfc9b75b?version=1.0&t=1533634429177&previewFileIndex=all|title=ComfortDelGro Deepens Footprint In Australia With Two Acquisitions Totalling A$134.45 Million|publisher=ComfortDelgro|date=7 August 2018|access-date=8 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180808022055/https://www.comfortdelgro.com/documents/38822/69007/Media+Release-CDG+Deepens+Footprint+in+Aust+with+2+Acquisitions_grp.pdf/92bcc096-63ba-533b-f790-f8c1dfc9b75b?version=1.0&t=1533634429177&previewFileIndex=all|archive-date=8 August 2018|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/comfortdelgro-forest-coach-lines-coastal-liner-coaches-australia-10596690|date=7 August 2018|title=ComfortDelGro invests S$136.5m in Australian bus assets|publisher=Channel NewsAsia|access-date=8 August 2018|archive-date=7 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180807172709/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/comfortdelgro-forest-coach-lines-coastal-liner-coaches-australia-10596690|url-status=live}}End of an era for Forest Coach Lines Manly Daily 28 September 2018 The Region 11 services are now officially operated by Hunter Valley Buses, even though the Coastal Liner brand is retained as a division of Hunter Valley Buses.{{cite web|url=http://www.coastalliner.com.au/about-us.html|title=About Us|website=Coastal Liner|access-date=4 March 2020|archive-date=7 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200307012901/http://www.coastalliner.com.au/about-us.html|url-status=live}}
Routes
Since 2008, Hunter Valley Buses' services have formed Outer Sydney Metropolitan Bus Regions 2 and 4.[http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/b2b/abouttrans/Outer-Metro-Regions-1-2-3-4.pdf Outer Metropolitan Sydney Bus Contract Regions 1, 2, 3 and 4] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140622041923/http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/b2b/abouttrans/Outer-Metro-Regions-1-2-3-4.pdf |date=22 June 2014 }}, NSW Government Transport and Infrastructure, Retrieved 8 July 2014 In particular, route 140 operates between the Newcastle CBD and Raymond Terrace.{{Cite New South Wales transport timetables|n140}}
After the purchase of Coastal Liner in August 2018, the service area of Hunter Valley Buses expanded to include Outer Sydney Metropolitan Bus Region 11.
Fleet
=Depots=
As of April 2025, Hunter Valley Buses (excluding Coastal Liner) operates 314 buses and coaches across 5 depots:{{cite web|url=http://cdcbus.com.au/hunter-valley-contact-us|title=Contact Us - Hunter Valley Buses|website=CDC NSW - Hunter Valley Buses|access-date=5 March 2020|archive-date=12 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200312063312/http://cdcbus.com.au/hunter-valley-contact-us|url-status=live}}[http://fleetlists.busaustralia.com/index-cdc.php CDC Group] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190509050301/http://fleetlists.busaustralia.com/index-cdc.php |date=9 May 2019 }} Australian Bus Fleetlists
- Region 2
- Singleton - 28 buses
- Thornton - 157 buses
- Region 4
- Edgeworth - 56 buses
- Morisset - 37 buses
- Toronto - 36 buses
In Region 11, as of January 2025, Hunter Valley Buses operates 26 buses and coaches from the Coastal Liner depot in Warnervale.
=Livery=
File:Hunter Valley Buses Volvo B7R on a SB40 Custom Coaches Bodied (cropped).jpg Chassis on a SB40 Custom Coaches Body]]
Upon formation, Blue Ribbon adopted a livery of two blues for its route service buses and coaches and white and blue for school buses. Upon being rebranded as Hunter Valley Buses the same allover yellow scheme as used by Hillsbus and Westbus was adopted. In 2010, the Transport for NSW white and blue livery began to be applied.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://cdcbus.com.au/huntervalley-buses Hunter Valley Buses website]
- [http://www.busaustralia.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=107 Bus Australia CDC Hunter gallery]
- [https://www.showbus.com/australia/gallery/bluerib.htm Showbus Blue Ribbon gallery]
{{ComfortDelGro}}
{{NEXG}}
{{Regional NSW public transport}}
Category:Bus companies of New South Wales